Super Stardust Portable coming December 4

The portable version of Super Stardust HD will be available for download next …

Sony has slowly been bringing a pair of PlayStation Network shooters—Everyday Shooter and Super Stardust HD—to the PlayStation Portable. One of them finally has a launch date; Super Stardust Portable will be ready on December 4.

The game will be available as a PlayStation Store download and will run gamers $9.99. Unfortunately, it will not be a direct port of the PS3 version as the PSP simply couldn't handle the sheer amount of action happening on screen. "The PSP version is played on a wrapping 2D field that is optimized for the PSP screen," programming lead Kimmo Lahtinen wrote on the PlayStation Blog. Because of this, you won't see the whole planet as you did on the console version. But as Lahtinen explained, "we actually do a few tricks to make it look like you’re still playing around a planet too."

The portable version will also feature an updated control scheme due to the lack of a second analog stick on the PSP. Unsurprisingly, the game will use the face buttons to fire while the nub will control movement. Other changes include a new mode called Impact Mode where you can only use bomb and boost, a new more difficult final boss, and an enhanced difficulty mode that increases the intensity.

The PS3 version of Super Stardust was perfect for quick pick-up-and-play sessions, which should be ideally suited for a portable platform like the PSP. The changes made should also help keep the formula fresh for veterans of the original. Here's to hoping that the lack of a second analog input doesn't ruin the experience.